


Iron Man and the Ford Flathead

by cynatnite



Series: The Clint Barton and Tony Stark Playbook of Brothers [3]
Category: Iron Man (Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: 1932 Ford Flathead, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, BAMF Clint Barton, BAMF Phil Coulson, Brothers, Clint Is a Good Bro, Clint loves Phil, Natasha Is a Good Bro, Not Canon Compliant, Phil is not as oblivious as everyone thinks, Pre-Slash, The Ugly Audi, Tony Is a Good Bro, Unrequited Love, clint and tony are brothers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-05
Updated: 2017-06-05
Packaged: 2018-11-09 04:23:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,255
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11096832
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cynatnite/pseuds/cynatnite
Summary: Obadiah makes his move against Tony and SI. Clint's only choice is to work in the background and hopes he can help his brother.





	Iron Man and the Ford Flathead

**Author's Note:**

> Again, I played around with canon a lot. Stuck mostly to the first Iron Man movie. All the mess-ups are mine.

“Cast iron, Tony.” Clint was sure he could hear his brother rolling his eyes on the other end of the phone. He put the speaker phone on and opened the bag on his bed.

“ _Aluminum_ ,” Tony pressed. “ _Cast iron is too heavy and you’ll never get the speed you want_.”

“Original everything. That’s what I told you when I towed it into the garage.”

“ _And a piece of shit it remains to this day_.”

Clint grabbed some socks and threw them in the bag. “It’s a 1932 Ford Flathead, it’s number 18 off the line.”

“ _Before they figured out to switch to something that won’t hemorrhage oil, overheats and cracks like Medusa’s mirror. You know I’m right_.”

The Flathead was the pet project Clint had started on before being called away on a mission. He’d found time to do some work between missions, but living in New York and his job made it nearly impossible. Tony volunteered and kept Clint updated on the progress.

“Okay, but I’ve got mods to send you before you cast it.”

Now, that was a smirk Clint heard over the phone.

“I’ll beat that ugly Audi R8 of yours,” Clint swore. “This baby’s got soul.”

“ _Sure, and I’m still better looking_.” Tony had enough sarcasm to fill a ship. “ _What far off exotic location is your secret spy organization sending you now?”_

“You’re not supposed to know.”

“ _I’ll just hack later so you might as well tell me now. We’re using the most secure lines on the planet_.”

Clint sighed. “Punta Arenas.”

“ _They’ve got penguins, you know_.”

“Do not.”

Tony huffed a laugh. “ _900 miles from the Antarctic Circle, little bro. Jarvis_?”

_“Current temperature is a cool 47 degrees Fahrenheit. Two to four inches of snow is expected in the next 24 hours.”_

With another sigh Clint got his heavy coat out of the closet.

“ _I demand penguin pictures_ ,” Tony informed Clint.

“Sightseeing is generally frowned upon in my line of work, Tony.”

“ _We can trade when I get back_.”

“Where to?” The silence on the other end had Clint pausing his packing. “Tony?”

“ _It’s a good cause, Clint_.”

“Tony,” Clint warned.

“ _Kabul Province_.”

“Why the fuck are you going to Afghanistan?”

“ _I promised Obie I’d handle the presentation. It’s a huge contract for the Jericho_.”

“There are at least a dozen people at SI who could do the same without you risking your neck, Tony!”

“ _Our guys risk their necks every day. Besides, to hear Rhodey tell it, I’ll have a small army watching my back_.”

“Jesus.” Clint sat on the bed. “Wear that new chest armor we designed.”

“ _Um…where is it?”_

“Tony, promise me. I don’t ask for much.”

“ _I’ll stick it in the garment bag_.”

“I’m texting Pepper to do it. I mean it, Tony.”

“ _Hey, did you get the present I sent you?_ ” Silence. “ _Clint?_ ”

“Yes,” Clint admitted. “I’m not wearing them.”

“ _They’re perfect for you, I swear it_.”

“They’re the ugliest fucking things I’ve ever seen.”

“ _You wound me, little bro. Put them on and send me a picture_.”

Clint went to the kitchen and got a wooden spoon. He stuck it in the hot water and pulled out a melted purple croc before snapping a photo with his phone.

“ _Now, you’re getting a dozen with animal stripes and polka dots_.”

Smiling, Clint said, “My ride’s due to arrive in an hour. I’ve got to go.”

“ _Get your ass back in one piece and we’ll have that race_.”

“You, too.”

After hanging up the phone, Clint went back his bedroom and resumed packing. The mission was the one thing his brother wouldn’t find out. Stark Industry weapons were finding their way in the hands of terrorists. Clint’s own private investigation netted nothing and Obadiah Stane appeared to be clean. He knew better. Getting Stane out of SI was top priority. He didn’t dare say a word to Coulson. Clint would be sidelined immediately along with a multitude of questions that he wasn’t ready to answer.  

~*~

 

One of the stopovers in the network of SI arms sales was in Punta Arenas. If Intel was correct, an exchange of cash and weapons was conducted before the arms were shipped across the Atlantic. It had taken four days of footwork to get a look at the middleman who flew in from Buenos Aires on a regular basis. More manpower would’ve had their intelligence work already completed.

By the fourth day, Natasha had successfully planted a tracker on the mark. Her and Clint made their way back to the safehouse only to find Coulson had dinner on the table.

“You got sea bass?” Clint’s eyes got big seeing the filled platter.

“It’s dirt cheap here and since we’re on waiting mode, I figured a good dinner would be nice for a change.”

Clint headed to the table and put a healthy portion on his plate. Natasha took it from his hands before he could get more.

“You have the manners of a Ferengi,” she informed him.

“No more DS9 for you,” Clint fired back.

Seeing the small grin on Phil’s face was a definite pleasure for Clint.

“So, I’m thinking,” Clint began. “Maybe we can take an hour and drive to the coast. They’ve got penguins.”

“Once we get eyes on the ship and crew it’ll take a day or two to put names to the faces. We’ll be able to track the ship with your prototype arrow.” Phil looked across the table at Clint. “No promises.”

“Got it,” Clint said. He shifted in his seat and seemed to fidget every time the mission came up on casual conversation.

“You’re doing it again,” Natasha commented.

“What?” Clint hated that Natasha read him so well. Phil, too, with the way looked at him. “I promised a friend I’d get pictures of penguins.”

“Really?” Natasha’s eyebrow raised in disbelief.

“She knows I travel a lot,” Clint explained. “Natural setting, I was told.”

Clint’s phone rang and he glanced down. Pepper. He’d call her when he finished eating and swiped the screen. Before the conversation could continue, Phil’s phone went off and at one look he was standing and headed into the bedroom.

“What’s bothering you?” Natasha asked.

“Nothing. Picture of penguins are on my personal itinerary.” Clint went back to his meal and ignored Natasha’s gaze.

Phil rushed back in the room with his suitcase.

“You two will need to finish the mission. Sitwell’s on his way.”

“What’s wrong?” Natasha asked.

Clint felt the hair on the back of his neck rise at seeing the seriousness in Phil’s eyes.

“Tony Stark has been kidnapped.”

The only thing Clint could do was grab his own knee. He squeezed hard to hide the alarm in his chest. Then he remembered his phone. Pepper.

“I’ll go with you,” Clint volunteered.

“You and Natasha finish out the mission. It’s possible there’s a connection we haven’t uncovered.”

It took a few long agonizing minutes for Phil to leave and once he was out the door, Clint took out his phone.

“I missed a call. I’ll be right back.”

He headed outside before Natasha could say a word and once in the alley, Clint dialed Pepper.

“Oh, thank God, Clint!” Pepper was panicked and near tears from the sound of her voice. “Tony’s gone! He’s gone!”

“Calm down and tell me everything, Pep. Breathe and then talk.” He waited for her to calm which didn’t take long.

“He did the presentation. The last person that talked to him was Obadiah and the convoy, his escort, everyone is dead, Clint! Tony…” The cry came through. “What if he’s dead!”

“Hey, don’t think that way. Tony Stark is a rich celebrity. He’s more valuable alive. The fact that his body hasn’t been found is proof.”

“Okay, you’re right. I’m sorry, Clint.” Pepper took another calming breath. “How soon can you get here?”

“I don’t know.” Clint rubbed his eyes. He hated leaving her alone to deal with this. He was more useful in helping Tony where he was right now.

“Clint, this is your brother. You have to come!”

“I can’t, Pepper. Coming out as Tony’s adopted brother could put him more at risk.” If Obadiah was behind it, Clint was positive he was next on the list along with Pepper. “I can do him more good where I’m at now, but I promise I will do everything I can.”

“We can’t lose him, Clint,” Pepper pleaded.

“We won’t. We’ll get him back.” Clint leaned against the stone wall. “Do me a favor.”

“Anything.”

“Keep Happy close. I want him near you every minute,”

“Okay, I will,” Pepper promised. “What are you thinking? Is there something else going on?”

“I don’t know. Maybe. I’d feel better if someone we trusted stayed close.”

“Just call me if you find out anything.”

“I will,” Clint promised. “In fact, I’ll call every few hours. There’s a phone in Tony’s lab I want you to use. Jarvis will make sure it’s secured.”

“Thank you, Clint. I know you’d be here if you could.”

“Just don’t give up hope. He’s coming home in one obnoxious piece if I’ve got anything to say about it.”

After their goodbyes, Clint headed back inside. Natasha was cleaning up and he headed to the computer screen. The mark was stationary in a hotel room several blocks away.

“Everything okay?”

“Just fine.”

Clint stayed up the entire night not letting the mark out of sight. The following morning, he and Natasha traded off tailing him. The rest of the mission went off without a hitch and the two were called back to New York.

 

~*~

 

It was over two weeks after Tony’s disappearance before Clint and Natasha were sent into Afghanistan. The Army had their own forces searching, but Natasha had her own contacts she had cultivated for several years prior to joining SHIELD.

Clint packed the older car with care. Whatever he thought Tony needed, Clint got it. He swiped extra antibiotics and pain meds for the bag along with an IV setup. The med bag was bulging when he shoved it in the trunk.

Natasha’s hard stare was at his back when he got behind the wheel.

The Ten Rings network was spread across the war-torn country. They began nearest where Tony was last seen even though it was likely the military had explored the countryside before their arrival. A tip from a local farmer had Clint and Natasha traveling further south in the opposite direction of the Army helicopters.

Tony had been gone over two months and Clint had pushed himself beyond exhaustion. SHIELD seemed to be nearly as desperate since they continued to allow him and Natasha comb the mountainous regions of the country.

The dark caves were cold and damp and seemed to go on forever. Those that were occupied with terrorists, were shown the door so to speak with a sudden attack by Hawkeye and the Black Widow. One smaller cave was hiding a family. Natasha left extra supplies of food, water and medicine. They offered Intel on a larger cell of Ten Rings which had kidnapped wealthy prisoner.

When they arrived, the cave had been abandoned with the exception of a dead old man still chained to the wall. Clint lost it.

He tore apart the remains of the scattered junk, cursing all the while. When he finished, he sank down to the floor and covered his eyes.

Clint wiped the tears away as Natasha touched his should and sat next to him.

“You need to tell me everything, Clint.”

He should’ve. She’d been watching barely holding on day after day. Clint was so damn tired, but he couldn’t sleep. Tony needed him.

Natasha handed him a bottle of water and he took long drinks before speaking.

“When I was fifteen, Howard and Marie Stark adopted me. They took me in, gave me a home. Tony’s my brother, Tash.” Clint rubbed away the tears and lowered his head. “I’m so fucking scared.”

Clint leaned into her hug and relished the comfort. He let out the pain he’d been holding onto since Phil’s announcement.

“You never told anyone,” Natasha gently commented.

“In the beginning, I hated the idea of the press looking at me. When I started taking on private contracts and playing at being a hero, it made sense to keep it secret.” Clint looked into her eyes. “You’re the first person I’ve ever told, Tash.”

“Coulson?”

Clint shook his head. “I trust him, but he’s all business. He gets wind and I’ll be sent back to the states. I have to do this.”

“Clint…”

“Tasha, Tony saved my life. I’m as sure of it as we’re sitting here. I wouldn’t be where I am if it weren’t for him or my adopted parents. He’s all I’ve got.”

“You’ve got me and Coulson, too.” Natasha got to her feet and pulled Clint to his. “If we’re doing this, we’re slowing the pace.” Clint was about to argue when she held up her hand. “Your secret is safe with me, Clint, but for the remainder of this mission, I’m calling the shots.”

“You’ve got it,” Clint vowed.

“We’re due to report in and I’m sure Pepper is expecting your call.”

Clint nodded and followed Natasha out of the cave.

 

~*~

 

When the Audi was pulled to the end of the red carpet, Tony got in and sighed. He yanked at the tie and undid the top button. The betrayal cut deep. Obadiah had discarded their relationship as easy as an old pair of shoes.

Tony started driving and was about to hit the accelerator when he checked his rearview mirror. Clint’s eyes were gazing right back at him.

“Shit!” The wheel jerked in his hands and Tony got control of the car. “Clint, what the hell?”

As Clint laughed, Tony pulled the car to the curb.

“I always wanted to do that,” Clint told him.

“Heart attacks are always fun,” Tony muttered.

Clint leaned forward from the backseat. “Hey, I’m a spy and this was always a cool spy thing in spy movies.”

“James Bond would be proud.”

With an affectionate touch to the shoulder, Clint said, “Sorry, Tony. I’m just damn happy to see all your parts together.”

Tony patted his hand. “You, too, little bro.”

“Are you really okay? Pepper wouldn’t tell me much over the phone. Something happened, didn’t it?”

Tony unbuttoned his shirt and Clint’s eyes widened. The arc reactor was stunning. Clint didn’t know whether to be scared or in awe.

“Is that what I think it is?”

“Yinsen, my co-prisoner, gave me a start with his way of keeping me breathing. The man saved my life twice. He died.”

“God, I’m sorry, Tony, but I’m glad you’re alive. He put the can in your chest and you finished it off with the arc reactor tech.”

“It’s the only thing I could come up with to keep me breathing.

“Why aren’t you in a lab exploiting this for the planet? I saw the press conference. SI will be better than ever without the arms production.”

“Stark weapons are still out there and I couldn’t do a damn thing to stop it.”

“A bad side of the business, Tony. Happens to the military all the time.”

“I’m accountable for all of it. That’s why I stopped production…at least I thought I did.”

“Pepper said the board was giving you fits.”

“Obie filed an injunction and he’s taking control of SI, Clint. Even your share of the company can’t stop him.”

“What?” Clint got out of the back and moved to the passenger seat. “Can he do that?”

“It’s done. I thought we could trust him,” Tony answered keeping his voice low.

“Tony, Pepper’s my proxy.”

“What are you saying?” Clint averted his eyes and Tony nudged him. “Clint?”

“SHIELD’s been tracking the weapons trying to get a fix on how they were getting to groups like the Ten Rings. We think that’s who snatched you.”

“SHIELD?” That part he hadn’t expected. “Agent Coulson.”

“Coulson? How in the hell do you know him?”

“Oh, we met tonight. Something about a briefing.”

“Debriefing. If Coulson gets wind of me being here, he’ll kick my ass and leave it begging for more.”

“How the hell do you know him?” Tony asked in return.

“He’s sort of my handler on missions.”

“Secret badass…huh. Figured him for a bean counter.”

“He’s more than a badass, Tony. He’s fucking scary competent and his suit never wrinkles in the slightest. The man could take out ten Ten Ring cells and have the paperwork done inside an hour.”

“Oh, my god,” Tony said. “You’ve got the hots for him.”

“I do not,” Clint denied. “He’s my boss. I’m not supposed to have the hots.”

“Do to. Coulson does more for you than that accounting major with the kickboxing career when you were in college. I can see it in your eyes. Don’t lie to your brother. It’s a sin.”

“Shut up.” Clint rubbed his neck. “Fine, I do, but we’ve got bigger issues right now.”

“Right. About Pepper…”

“You mean Obadiah. He’s the only one that can cover any trail that might connect Stark Industries to the Ten Rings. I know that because we’re good at trailing weapons.”

“Yesterday, I would’ve knocked you out for saying it, Clint.”

“One thing’s for sure. Pepper’s life could be on the line if you and I are out of the way. She’s the one that gets my shares if anything happens to me.”

“You think he’d go that far?”

“Yeah.” Clint thought back to the last time he and Obadiah spoke. Tony didn’t need to know about it. “I’m going back to Afghanistan. A friend of mine says she knows about a main encampment not far from where you were held. We need to check it out.”

“Good idea.”

“What about you?”

“Me? Oh, going home, relaxing with a cup of tea. You know.”

“You’re a terrible liar.”

“Am not.”

“Are to. I know because you lie to me all the time.”

“Only because I care and I don’t lie about the big stuff.”

“Just don’t do anything stupid while I’m gone.”

“Sure.”

They gave each other a pat before Clint got out of the car. Tony headed home and thought about Gulmira all the way there.  

 

~*~

 

It was the dead of night when Clint and Natasha got to the encampment she’d told him about. The corpses were piled near a tent and Clint glanced at her.

“American guns for sure,” Clint said. “If they belong to SI, I couldn’t say.”

“Execution style.” Natasha inspected the ground not far. “They were kneeling at the time. The tire tracks are fresh as well. This happened less than twelve hours ago.”

They both went to the tent and found another body. Clint turned it over.

“Tash, it’s Raza. SHIELD’s top ten most wanted.”

“Single bullet to the back,” Natasha observed. “He was too capable to let someone get behind him like this.”

“Unless he knew who it was.”

Clint rose and his eyes moved over the furnishings and other items left behind. He went to the metal stand while Natasha inspected the desk. Something had been there.

“Clint.”

“Yeah,” Clint walked over. “What have you got?”

She handed him the sheets of paper covered with sketches.

“Was someone trying to build a robot?” Natasha asked.

The circle in the chest of it got his attention. “More like a suit,” he whispered. “This Tony’s work. I’d recognize it anywhere.”

“I don’t understand.”

“Tony managed to build an arc reactor to keep the shrapnel away from his heart. The power core is pure energy powered by palladium. Howard designed it and Tony built a massive one at Stark Industries. We never could make it work the way it was intended. I remember Obadiah was pissed because Tony refused to take it down.”

“He built a smaller version for himself?”

“Yeah, I saw it. Tony Stark is the most brilliant guy I know. Anyway, he escaped using a suit.” Clint handed the sketch back to Natasha. “His arc reactor is how he powered it.”

“So, where’s the suit?”

“If Obadiah saw the reactor in Tony’s chest, he’d…fuck, he’d want it if he couldn’t figure out how to build one for himself.”

“Clint?”

“Stane is smart, but he’s fucking miles away from Tony Stark smart.” Clint got out his phone and dialed.

“ _Coulson_.”

“Where’s Obadiah Stane?”

“ _Strange that you ask, Barton. He boarded his private jet and we lost him. I’ve been informed he possesses stealth technology. Anything on your end?_ ”

“Yeah, the Ten Rings cell that snatched Tony is dead. Raza, too. Tasha and I think Obadiah Stane orchestrated Stark’s kidnapping and rumor has it that he’s also making a run at SI for control of the company.”

“ _I can conform Stane’s involvement_ ,” Coulson replied. “ _Ms. Potts acquired a video on his laptop along with documentation that we’re still trying to sort through. Several million dollars were transferred to an offshore account for possibly selling the Jericho missile system_.”

“We need to find Stane, Coulson. I think he’s going to make a move on Tony…Stark.” Clint closed his eyes. He needed to get his emotions under control.

“ _Keep going_.”

“Tony Stark has technology on his person that Stane wants bad enough to kill for. Pepper Potts will be able to confirm that much. Also, sir, you need to put people on her. She’ll be an obstacle if Stane wants complete control of SI.”

“ _She’s with me, Barton_.”

“Good,” Clint breathed with relief.

“ _You and Natasha head back. Good work, Barton_.”

“Sir, we think Stane has a suit that is powered by arc reactor technology. That means he can destroy and kill pretty much anyone who stands in his way. Standard weapons won’t make a dent in the armor.”

“ _Understood. We’ll go to SI and beat him to the punch. Coulson out_.”

Clint turned to Natasha who had just gotten off the phone.

“There’s nothing more we can do.”

“That was Fury.” She had a small curve to her lips as she spoke. “Apparently, a bright gold and red robot was spotted in the Gulmira area where the Ten Rings operates. He took out their weapons and saved the lives of hundreds of villagers.”

“Tony fucking Stark,” Clint said nearly grinning.  

 

~*~

 

Loud AC/DC rocked through the shop as Tony worked. It was the perfect salve after the last few days of dealing with Obadiah nearly killing him and the media onslaught since he’d said those words. What the hell was he thinking? Pepper had asked three times and Happy just gave him that teddy bear stare of disapproval. Tony just brushed it off and focused on the new suit design standing straight from the holograph table.

“Fucking ice,” Tony mumbled. He hated weaknesses and he’d find this one.

“Superheroes aren’t supposed to curse.”

Tony swung around and grinned at Clint. “I’m always R-rated.”

“You okay?” Clint folded his arms.

“Sure,” Tony replied with a carefree tone. “My mentor tried to kill me a couple of times. If anyone can bounce back after that, it’s me.”

“You saved a lot of lives, Tony. I’m proud of you.”

“Well, your Fury is a scary motherfucker, little bro.”

“He gave you the talk, didn’t he? The part of a whole.”

“In part. More of an initiative. I could use a head’s up from my brother, the spy.”

“Above my pay grade.” Clint went closer to him. “I know how scary all this nearly dying can get, Tony. It’s just one more thing we can talk about.”

“I don’t do chick-flick moments, birdie.”

Clint laughed and turned towards the suit near the bench. He had to admit it looked amazing.

“You want one?” Tony asked. “We could be the Iron Men,” he said with raised eyebrows.

“No, thanks. Sounds like terrible gay porn. You’re not allowed to ever say that again, by the way.”

“How about a new uniform for your job?” Tony offered. “You look garage band poor with your current getup.”

“What’s wrong? You only get like this when you’re feeling guilty.”

“SHIELD…your Coulson, is helping me track the remaining arms out there. Not much hope in getting them all.”

“You will and Coulson’ll work overtime. He’s not mine, either.”

Tony went to the worktable and sorted through the mess. “Keep telling yourself that. The man is most definitely off the market and you haven’t had a date in months. You know I keep track.” Tony found what he was looking for and tossed it at Clint.

Clint caught the keys and grinned. The 1932 Ford Flathead stood ready next to Tony’s Audi R8. “You finished it!”

Tony sighed with drama. “You’re still eager to get ran over by a better piece of technology, little bro?”

“That Audi R8 is the ugliest thing on wheels. It doesn’t deserve to win.” Clint tossed the keys in the air and caught them with his left hand. “I’ll prove it.”

“If I win, you tell Coulson you want to make man-babies with him.”

“No matter who wins, won’t happen. My boss is too buttoned up for a carnie like me.” Clint jingled the keys in his hands. “If I win, you’re driving a VW bug as is to SI for a month. I’ll put in a Jarvis security system to keep you in check, too.”

“Deal.”

 They shook hands and headed for their perspective vehicles. Tires squealed as they sped away onto the California highway.

 

END


End file.
